A time to disconnect from work to reconnect with family while relaxing.
Summer 2016, I was so engrossed in my work that I didn’t create a chance to take my children on vacation. Looking back, I feel bad because I spent the majority of that summer providing hair care services to my clients instead of allowing parts of the season to be fun for my kids. The only fun my children had that summer was the occasional bouncing between house to house of family and friends to attend cookouts. I vowed to never ever do that again. So in 2017, I did something different. I created summer time business hours so that my family and I could spend time alone and enjoy our summer. Ocean City Maryland is one of our favorite beaches. It is Three hours away from home which makes it all the more perfect for a mini family trip. Here’s how I decided to spend Sunday with my family.

My children and I.

Buried in the sand.
- Unwind: To reduce all tension from my day to day, I didn’t talk to anyone via phone, text, email or even social media while on my trip. I ignored everyone and lived in the moment with my family.

My daughter’s and I enjoy the waves.

The twins and I. Twin A under estimated the waves.
- Family Bonding: It was such a joy to see my children simmer down and breathe easy. My kids love the water. There were zero interruptions to our fun. Another plus was we did not have to divide our time with anyone (family/friends) else while on our mini trip which made our time alone peaceful.

My daughter & Mother-In-Law having fun at the beach.

Making sand pies.
- Favorite Beach Food: Our favorite seafood spot every time we visit Ocean City is The Crab Bag. The Crab Bag is all-you-can-eat offering the freshest Maryland Crabs. The prices are a little steep, but it is worth it. Because we are a crab eating family, I don’t mind saving extra money so my children can enjoy their experience. There is nothing yummier than The Maryland CRAB!
- Becoming One With Myself. You may be wondering what did I do alone to make my trip more enjoyable for myself? I walked the beach at 6:30 am to watch the Sunrise. The temperature outside was cold; I love the cold. The beach was empty minus the occasional joggers who ran by. The beach waves and sky looked like a beautiful painting. I was able to drink coffee, take pictures and watch my kids and mother-in-law collect seashells.

Collecting Seashells.

A day at the beach. Watching the Sunrise.
Take time to do what makes your soul happy. Unknown
I enjoyed this day with my family. Hubby isn’t a beach guy, so I am happy he put his feelings to the side to ensure the rest of us who love the water have a good time. He was a great photographer though. The Summer isn’t over yet. I plan to end this season doing more outdoors before the pools close.
Feel free to share your thoughts. What are your favorite things to do to unwind? What are your favorite things to do while visiting the beach?